It’s a question we keep getting asked: what’s the latest on a municipal network for Northampton? It’s a good question. We’re working to get the most up-to-date information, which we’ll share here.
You may recall Question 1 on last November’s City ballot. 91% of those voting on the question authorized the City to create a municipal light plant.
Design Nine, the contractor running the feasibility study, was originally expected to have a draft of the report available by April 1. It’s not done yet, but we’ve been told by the City that a draft report is expected within the next few weeks. Also, the engineering part of the study is done, but we don’t know what it says.
Hopefully before then the draft report will be sent to the City. We don’t know if it will be shared with us or the public.
Our coalition has asked to meet with Mayor Sciarra, but due to her focus on the budget, our first opportunity to meet her will be in about two months. We’ll report on that meeting, here.
Mayor Sciarra has agreed to join Northampton Neighbors for their first Community Forum. It’s your chance to ask her any questions you might want to talk about, including on municipal broadband. Please email your question to Mike Mahar at maharfamily@comcast.net by Wednesday, April 27th. Northampton Neighbors expects to meet virtually on Zoom on May 23 from 7 PM to 8 PM for a conversation with the Mayor. Here’s a link to use for the Zoom meeting.